A Shattered Family
by Scififan33
Summary: The day Masaki and Ichigo are attacked, things go very differently. Torn from his family, Ichigo must learn to survive in a very different world. Stranded beneath an eternal moon, he will grow up strong or be eaten. No pairing chosen yet
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: Don't own Bleach_

**Chapter 1**

Ichigo smiled as he held his Mom's hand, even though it was raining, and he'd lost the fight against Tatsuki. He loved being with Mom, better than anything. Though he loved his baby sisters too, they just couldn't do a lot, they were too little still. He looked over at the river and frowned as he saw something….a girl! He pulled free of his Mom and ran down the hill, yelling at her to get back from the bank.

"Ichigo!" he heard his Mother scream and then it hurt!

Ichigo screamed in pain before rolling across the grass. He lay, gasping for breath and then he pushed up, hearing his Mom scream for him again. He blinked, he felt strange, but he staggered to his feet, eyes wide as he saw a monster. Where was his Mommy? He looked around, terrified and then he saw her, leaning over something. "Mommy!" He called, stumbling towards her only to fall as he stared with wide eyes…that was him! He looked down, finding a strange chain coming from his chest and leading to the other him. "Mommy?" he crawled over to her.

"**Mommy can't hear you,"** a strange, voice said, and he looked at the monster with wide eyes.

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Masaki was terrified as she gently reached for her unmoving son. He was still breathing but completely unresponsive. She had seen a Hollow, had created her bow and been ready to fire, only for the most intense pain she had ever known to consume her. Her bow had vanished and now she couldn't see or sense the Hollow. She felt weak and her mind went back to her childhood, to hearing the Kaiser Gesang and she was terrified. Was it possible he was waking? Had he taken her powers? She stroked her sons face, if there was a Hollow there then she knew they would soon be dead. There wasn't a mark on him…his soul must still be there, or he'd be dead, unless…she looked around futilely, she could no longer sense or see spiritual beings. "Ichigo?" she called, hating the weakness in her voice, she didn't have long. She reached her hand out, searching.

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"Mommy?" He reached out for her hand, could she see him? He was so scared, but the monster was gone now. He scrambled closer, curling into her.

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Masaki felt something take her hand and then there was the feeling of something leaning into her. "Oh Ichigo," she whispered, wrapping her arms around the soul of her baby. She was praying Isshin or Urahara or someone had sensed the Hollow and was coming. Why hadn't it attacked again. "Ichigo you need to listen to me," she whispered. "There should be a chain linking you to your body, you need to try and get back into your body, quickly. Lay on it and focus on getting inside," she urged him, not knowing how long she had or when the Hollow would return.

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Ichigo curled into his Mom's embrace, sobbing, terrified. When she spoke he forced himself to listen, not understanding but she sounded scared, so he crawled out of her arms and towards the other him. He looked back at her and his eyes widened. "Mom!" He screamed as the monster reappeared, moving towards her. Ichigo didn't even think, forcing himself to move, getting between it and her and then he gasped in pain, legs giving way.

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Masaki turned, hearing something, seeing a footprint appear in the mud, knowing it was the Hollow she braced herself, but she wasn't hit. She heard a shuddering breath behind her and looked back to see Ichigo's body go utterly still, his chest no longer moving with breath and she turned back, reaching out blindly to try and find her son. Had Ichigo saved her? She felt something under her hand, small and unmoving. "Ichigo get up, run, please," she begged even as she collapsed.

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Ichigo lay on the grass, stunned and then his Mom was there, begging him to run. How could he leave her? "Mom!" He pulled himself up as she collapsed before looking up and glaring at the monster as it laughed.

"**How sweet,"** it sneered. **"Foolish child, giving up your life for hers. I prefer women, but you will make a good meal,"** the creature told him.

Ichigo scrambled to his feet and moved to shake his Mom's shoulder and she looked up at him.

"Run Ichigo, go to Daddy," she pleaded, before her eyes closed.

"Mommy?" He looked from her to the very still body to the monster, torn.

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Grand Fisher leered at the sight of the unconscious woman and the child's soul. Even so young, his power was strong. Hers had been too and yet now it was all gone, she would still tasty he was sure. Then he paused, looking around, before snarling. Two powerful signatures were moving his way, fast, another, weaker one was coming from a different direction. He looked at the Mother and son, there was no time to enjoy his meal. He moved quickly, wrapping the boy's soul in his tentacles as the child began screaming before he retreated from the Living World, dragging the child with him.

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Kisuke and Shinji dropped to the ground, Zanpakutō drawn. They froze for a second, searching for the Hollow only to find no sign of it and then Kisuke was sheathing Benihime and rushing over to Masaki's side, kneeling down. "She's alive, barely," he announced in relief.

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Shinji knelt beside the small child, already knowing what he would find, the child was too still. "He's gone." He stretched his senses out but he could not feel a human soul. He almost wished he hadn't been meeting with Kisuke over gigai maintenance today, he wouldn't have felt this from their warehouse, wouldn't be having to deal with a dead child and near dead Quincy. He picked the small body up and laid him next to his mother before looking up as Isshin stumbled into sight.

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"No…" he groaned, stumbling over to drop to his knees next to his wife and son.

"Masaki is still alive Isshin, we need to get her back to the shop. Her power is gone," Kisuke told him and Isshin felt his heart seize as he looked at his son.

He looked unharmed, as if he was merely asleep but when he reached out to touch his face, his skin was already cooling thanks to the rain. "His…soul?"

"We don't know, the Hollow must have sensed our approach and retreated."

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"Ichigo isn't here," Shinji offered since Isshin had no power, or would it be coming back now with Masaki so close to death? He felt for his one-time fellow Captain. He'd met Masaki once, at the wedding, but a blind man could see how much Isshin loved her. He'd even passed photos of his children on to them via Kisuke. He had never had children, but he had seen many killed over the centuries and it was never easy to see such potential snuffed out. None of them were saying it but they all knew the truth, the Hollow had either consumed Ichigo's soul here, or taken him back to Hueco Mundo to do so, it would be better for Ichigo if he had been eaten here.

He saw Kisuke lift Masaki into his arms before turning and running for his shop. "Come on," Shinji urged Isshin to his feet and then gently lifted Ichigo's body, not willing to make the man carrying his sons corpse. Maybe he should leave the body to be found by the authorities but too many questions would be asked over a body with no apparent cause of death. He easily held the limp body with arm as he hauled Isshin up, pulling him along as he used Shunpo to get away before anyone else saw something they shouldn't.

When they arrived Tessai was waiting for them and his shoulders slumped at the sight of the small body, but he gently took it from Shinji and carried it away while Shinji got Isshin inside to dry off and warm up before he went too badly into shock. He didn't bother looking for Kisuke, knowing better than to interrupt as he worked to save Masaki's life. He was forcing tea down Isshin's throat when the door opened and he was shocked to see a man he had seen at the weeding, Masaki's cousin or something.

"Where?" the man demanded and Tessai reappeared, leading him to the lab.

They sat in silence for hours before the three men reappeared, all exhausted looking. Isshin finally looked up from the table.

"She's stable," Kisuke said and Isshin slumped in relief.

"What happened to her?" Shinji asked for him.

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"Auswählen," Ryūken answered as he collapsed onto a cushion and accepted the tea Shinji pushed towards him.

"And that is?"

"A power that allows Yhwach to forcibly take the power of other Quincy," he answered dully. "Masaki was not the only one affected. My…my wife is comatose," he admitted, hands gripping the mug too tightly.

"I'm sorry," Isshin whispered and Ryūken nodded.

"Your children?" he asked, unsure if they would have been affected with their interesting heritage. Uryū had been spared, somehow, something for which he was very grateful. He may still lose his wife; he could not bear to lose them both.

"Masaki and Ichigo were attacked by a Hollow," Shinji answered, sparing Isshin.

Ryūken saw the sheer pain on the ex-Shinigami's face at the mention of his son. He did not like the man overly much, although he did respect him for giving up everything to save Masaki from that Hollow. Still, he would not wish the loss of a child on anyone.

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Ichigo stumbled and fell to the ground as he was released, staring around in shock. What had happened? Where was he? He wanted his parents! Looking up he saw the moon and looking around all he saw was white sound.

"**Now then boy, time to eat,"** the monster said and Ichigo's eyes widened in horror before he was up and running, something inside screaming for him to move.

He could it hear it laughing as it chased him, and he felt tears prickling in his eyes. He didn't want to be eaten! He stumbled, gasping, as a heavy feeling slammed into him, but he forced himself upright, he had to keep running!"

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Starrk looked out over the sand, sensing something, then he saw a small form as it stumbled in the sand and to his shock then got back up, running. He stood to see better, was this another Hollow that could survive their presence? He saw a Hollow chasing the smaller form and it did more than stumble when it hit the range of their power. It collapsed, writhing and screaming as it was crushed to death. He saw the small one turn around to look and then it sat, curling up.

"What are you watching Starrk?" Lilynette demanded as she scrambled up the dune beside him, only to watch the Hollow as it died. "That doesn't look like a Hollow," she said when she saw the small thing on the ground.

"Then go look," he shrugged, hiding his curiosity with his usual laziness, besides, as the weaker of the two of them, she was less likely to damage who or whatever it was down there. She glared at him, muttering about laziness before moving down the dune.

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Ichigo turned around at the sound to see the monster dying, or he thought it was. When it went still he collapsed to the sand, exhausted and terrified. He just wanted to go home! He curled up, hugging himself, it was really cold here. He shivered, sniffling, fighting tears. He heard a noise and his head shot up, looking around only to see someone coming towards him…a person? He watched warily as they came closer, not able to see much cause they were wearing a cloak or something.

"Hello?" a voice called, and he blinked, it was a girl?

Ichigo slowly stood up as she got close, seeing a weird helmet thing on her head, covering one of her eyes. "Hello," he finally said.

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Lilynette called out as the small thing moved, obviously hearing her approach and then it stood up and she was shocked to see a severed Chain of Fate. A human soul? How was he not being crushed? He finally answered her and…he sounded really young. That Hollow must have brought his soul here to eat in relative peace. Now the poor kid was doomed, either he'd be eaten or become a Hollow himself. Maybe they could at least send him back to the Living World where he might be found by a Shinigami? "My name's Lilynette, what's yours?"

"Ichigo, Kurosaki Ichigo. Do you know where my Mom is?"

"Sorry but she's probably in the Living World."

"Living World?" he titled his head to the side and she almost squealed, he looked so cute. Maybe they could keep him?

"You're in Hueco Mundo. You died and I'm guessing that Hollow brought you here."

"He was trying to hurt Mom," Ichigo whispered and she winced, poor kid. "I want to go home."

"I know, but…you can't go home anymore. See that chain?" she pointed, and he nodded. "It's broken, it means you're…well, you're dead." She'd never had to tell someone they were dead before. She saw his eyes widen in shock and fear. "You could stay with us? Starrk's really lazy but you'll be safe with us. We're really powerful so no one will try and eat you," she offered.

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Ichigo stared at the strange girl in shock. He was dead? He knew what dead was, his Daddy was a Doctor, but he couldn't save everyone, and he always said the family clinic wasn't meant for the really bad stuff. But how could he be dead? "I can't go home?" he whispered, and she shook her head. He bit his lip but then nodded and walked towards her.

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Starrk looked up as Lilynette returned, surprised to see what looked like a little boy with her. He blinked as he saw the severed chain hanging from his chest. Well…that was unexpected.

"Ichigo this is Starrk. Ichigo is going to stay with us," she announced had Starrk stared at her. He had no problem with company that could withstand being near them, but a human soul? What would they do when he turned? But he knew that look, she would not be moved on this and honestly, he didn't want to make her. So, he nodded and nudged the two young ones into the safety of their cave, the kid probably needed sleep as well. Dying had to be traumatic.

_TBC…._

_I had Masaki able to feel Ichigo since Tatsuki seemed able to feel not only the Hollow but Orihime when attacked by her brother_


	2. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer: Not mine_

_Glad you all liked the first chapter!_

**Chapter 2**

Masaki stood, leaning against Isshin, cane in her other hand, unable to tear her eyes away from the stone in front of them. it should be her name on there, not her sons, not her baby boys. He'd ben barely nine years old, his whole life ahead of him. Maybe if they'd told Ichigo more about the Spiritual World he may have survived. It was hard to believe he would have been ten today, she had missed so much of the last year as Kisuke, Tessai and Ryūken had fought to stabilise not only her but Kanae. She supposed one good thing had come of that, her girls had a surrogate big brother now in Uryū. He could never replace Ichigo and he never tried to, but anyone who upset the girls would find themselves on the wrong end of his sharp tongue and sarcastic wit. She liked to imagine that he and Ichigo would have been good friends if given the chance.

Sōken Ishida had been so helpful, looking after all three of the children and he had begun teaching the girls alongside their 'cousin'. Unlike Uryū though, they were being taught the very basics since they were so little Isshin hadn't been too pleased, but she would not have her children vulnerable. According to Sōken, Yuzu seemed to have inherited the Quincy abilities which likely meant Karin took more after Isshin. It would become clearer as the girls grew up. Thanks to the closeness of their families, when Sōken had been attacked by a group of Hollows, Isshin had responded quickly, purifying them while the Quincy held them back.

Isshin's powers had returned faster, ever since the attack and he could now leave his gigai and use Engetsu, although he had admitted that he was still not fully back to his old power level which had them a little puzzled.

She reached out slowly and touched the stone as Isshin placed the offerings down. What was the point? Their son wasn't peacefully within Soul Society, his soul had been consumed by a Hollow and would never be freed so long as it lived. Tears fell silently from her eyes even as her husband gently began to lead her away.

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Aizen finished his notes and sat back, he had been forced to alter several of his plans and he was not impressed. He had sent Grand Fisher after the Quincy, not the boy. He had been aiming to make the hybrid child toughen up, not get him killed. His plans would have to find a new focus, he'd been watching the twins, but their skills seemed more defined towards either Shinigami or Quincy and they exhibited very little Hollow power, unlike their older brother. He would have to focus on the older twin, organise things so that she would undergo Hollowfication, like the Visored. That would increase her power, but would it be enough? he would have to push things back a few years though due to her age and he would continue to search for any sign of Ichigo's soul in any of the worlds.

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Starrk watched his charges as the two played in the sand. Maybe it would have been kinder to take the boy to the Living World so he could be sent to Soul Society, but he hadn't been able to do it, not when Lilynette had become so attached to the kid. Despite living with them in Hueco Mundo, being exposed to their Hollow power, it had taken quite a while for Ichigo's Chain to undergo Encroachment. It had been painful to watch, and they had always stayed with him when the next link was destroyed. It had been very strange when he told them about the voice in his head, the way he described it sounded very Hollow.

They had stayed with him through his transformation which hadn't been normal either. Starrk had seen a soul or two become a Hollow and usually their body burst apart to reform and then the mask appeared, in Ichigo's case his mask had formed first, alongside his Hollow hole, as he screamed and writhed in the sand. His transformation had appeared more painful because of that and had attracted a lot of Hollows who had been crushed as they approached, seeking an easy meal.

He was small but that made sense due to his age. His mask was white with red markings and horns on the top. His body had remained rather human looking, though his skin had bleached to white with red marking on it. He had spikes on his shoulders and a tail while his orange hair had grown out. He had been rather wild, running on instinct, at first but that had lasted a surprisingly short time before he had understood they weren't going to hurt him. It had been strange….it hadn't been Ichigo in those first days, but it had been something sentient and he wondered if it had been the voice Ichigo had heard, taking control until the boy could.

Slowly he had changed, becoming Ichigo again, though not the Ichigo they had found years ago. He had remembered them which had made Lilynette happy. He had remembered how he died which wasn't such a happy thing. He didn't remember a lot about the Living World, but he remembered his family and they had spent many hours retelling him things he had told them in those first days he had spent with them to help him solidify those memories because he didn't want to forget his family.

With Ichigo's transformation, Starrk's days of lazing around and sleeping had ended. First it had been keeping the kid under control, now it was training him. While their power tended to kill anything that got too close, Ichigo had had a close call when he'd accidentally wandered too far away. At first, he had tolerated the boy for Lilynette's sake, but the boy had grown on him, accepting them so easily despite what they were. Now, his death would hurt and anger him, not as badly as Lilynette's would, but she was part of him. So they trained Ichigo and worked to push him towards evolving. Not just to keep him safe, but because they both missed his expressive eyes and cute expressions, so long as he had his mask on they would never see them again.

There was another reason to train him, despite their isolation, even they had noticed the changes over the last few years. He had left the two a few times to look around, going so far as to where he could see Las Noches, the so-called castle of another powerful Hollow, Baraggan. It had changed drastically recently, and he had felt several new powerful signatures, not all Hollows. So, he had moved their group on, further away from the area, not wanting them to be in danger. Maybe before Ichigo had joined them he would have stayed or even approached, seeking more company for the two of them, but he was content with it being the three of them. And who knew how those within would treat the young Hollow? Ichigo was strong for his age but it would take time for him to evolve and remove his mask.

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Uryū walked along the banks of the river as he did every year. He paused at one particular spot, staring at the water. This was where his cousin had given his soul to defend his own Mother. He often wondered if he would have had that kind of strength at such a young age. In the four years since he had done his best for Ichigo's sisters, helping them with homework, training, bullies and housework when Isshin was swamped by work and Aunt Masaki too weak. He knew that technically she wasn't his Aunt, that she had actually been promised to his Father once, but it was easier to consider them family in that way. Part of him envied the girls, they still had both of their parents while his Mother had died almost two years ago, despite everything that had been done to try and stabilise her. He would always be grateful to Urahara-san for his aide, it had been him, Uncle Isshin and Shinji's odd group that had helped him see that all Shinigami were not the same. After all, Soul Society had not saved his Grandfather, that had been Uncle Isshin.

Only Yuzu still trained with him regularly, she had inherited her Mother's Quincy abilites the strongest. Aunt Masaki had even passed her own Quincy cross to the cheerful girl. Karin took after Uncle Isshin, now able to see ghosts as if they were still alive, just like Ichigo had been able to. She attended a dojo when not training for soccer, although she would still come to some of their training sessions to give them both a different opponent to sharpen their skills. Aunt Masaki had even pushed Uncle Isshin into teaching her some very basic Kido and sword skills, just in case.

In honour of Ichigo, he came to the river every year, feeling closer to the boy he had never met here than he did at the cemetery. He dropped his school satchel and put the bunch of flowers down at the river's edge, kneeling to pray that the Hollow who killed Ichigo would soon be purified so that his cousin could be at peace. After a few minutes he stood, pushing his glasses up and straightening his uniform before picking up his bag and deciding to wander for a bit.

He was nearing a bridge when he heard a noise, tensing as he reached out his senses, before checking the Spirit Ribbons, something he had just learnt to do. No red ones so no Shinigami nearby, no Hollows either. Humans…he should keep walking. He went to but then sighed and moved silently closer, seeing a group of thugs surrounding someone in the uniform for Mashiba Junior High School who was tied tightly in a chair. He saw who had to be the ring leader rip something from around the other teens neck and sighed before setting his bag aside and adjusting his glasses before walking towards them. He did detest bullies and now that he was closer he recognised these ones as some who had been hassling kids from the twins school. His skills may be for fighting Hollows but that training also made him a very dangerous opponent for a human. He moved straight for the leader, knowing their kind the others would likely run once he was down. Sure enough, when the leader was out cold on the ground, most of them ran, those that didn't weren't much of a challenge and soon he was cutting the other teen free of his bonds.

"Are you hurt?" he asked, handing over the coin he had found in the leaders hand. He got a head shake in answer. "I am Ishida Uryū."

"Yasutora Sado," the other boy spoke softly as he stood, surprising Uryū with his height.

He nodded and went to retrieve his bag and the basic first aid kit within before calling the police to report the unconscious thugs.

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Ichigo knelt in the sand, panting heavily even as he made sure not to take his eyes off her, he'd learnt that the hard way. He knew the training was for his own safety and most of the time it was actually fun, but sometimes he thought his big sister was a bit mean. Starrk wasn't a big brother type, and Ichigo had a Dad back in the Living World, so he considered him a kind of Uncle since he looked after them. he didn't know how long he'd lived with them, there was no real way to keep track of time here and he'd been told he wouldn't age like a human anymore.

He'd never been back to the Living World, living off the Reishi in the air and other Hollows. He was never overwhelmed by those he ate, thanks to Shiro. As soon as he ate a Hollow, Shiro would consume it, absorbing its power while silencing the soul. Shiro said he'd been with him since he was born but Ichigo had never heard him until after he died, and he had been in control after Ichigo had become a Hollow. Sometimes he wondered what his parents would think if they knew what he'd become and that scared him a little. He missed his little sisters a lot, but he had heard how Hollows would target their families. He didn't think he would hurt them, but he wouldn't take the risk. Besides, even if they could see him, he knew he would scare them now.

Lilynette grinned at him and then stepped back. "Better!" she called, and he sighed, flopping down.

He heard her laugh and then she was sitting beside him. He turned his head to look at her and then she reached over, running her fingers though his hair and he closed his eyes, enjoying the sensation.

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Lilynette smiled as Ichigo relaxed, falling asleep. It was still shocking how much their lives had changed since Ichigo had come to live with them. Sometimes, she felt a twinge of guilt over his staying here, but she had asked him if he wanted to return to the Living World to be sent on to Soul Society and he had chosen to stay with them. Watching his transformation from human to Hollow had made her feel bad, they should have taken him back. Opening a Garganta would have gotten the attention of a Shinigami who could have then sent Ichigo on. Instead they had helped him through his transformation, had worked to help him grow as a Hollow, to learn how to survive. He wasn't the same kid he had been, but he wasn't like most other Hollow's either.

She knew Starrk was keeping them on the move for a reason, that he was worried about something, so she'd started working Ichigo even harder, making sure he fed more often as well. She wanted to get him to at least Adjuchas level before he worked out how to become like them. she didn't think it'd take long for him to evolve, not with how powerful he'd been as a mere human soul. Plus they didn't have to worry him being overwhelmed by the souls of other Hollows he consumed thanks to the being he called Shiro. She didn't know who or what Shiro was, but he was a big help.

At least Starrk wasn't so lazy anymore.

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Karin and Yuzu stood outside of Karakura High School, Uryū and Shinji beside them. It was their first day of High School and while their Mom had wanted to come she had been unable to. Ten years after she had her powers stolen and she still had good and bad days but at least they still had their Mom, unlike their cousin. He was starting at university this year, studying medicine, but he had still come to make sure they got to school okay.

Shinji had come too since he was the best of his group at blending in, no one would ever call any of the Visored 'normal', but they had become good friends and training partners. Karin knew they were holding back massively when they spared but she was still a living human after all, it's not like she had a Zanpakutō. Training against them had helped both Yuzu and Uryū increase their speed when it came to firing their bows. It turned out that while Yuzu took after Mum, she had enough Shinigami in her that her arrows purified Hollows, just like a Shinigami.

Grandpa Sōken had been looking forward to seeing them off to high school and Uryū to University, but old age had finally claimed him two years ago. It had affected all of them, Uryū the worst as it left him with only his Dad. He'd taken to spending most of his time at the shop or the Kurosaki home rather than his own, not that anyone minded. They all missed the peaceful presence of their Grandfather, his wisdom and kindness but at least they had the surety that they may see him again one day.

"Ready for this?" Shinji asked and the twins exchanged a look before grinning and stepping forward.

_TBC…._


	3. Chapter 3

_Disclaimer: Not mine_

**Chapter 3**

Ichigo sat on top of a dune, looking out over the terrain, scanning for any potential threats. He yawned and rubbed his eyes, still shocked he could. He ran a hand through his hair, feeling the mask remanent. He'd done it, he'd removed his mask and regained a human appearance. Hide the hole in his chest, use his hair to cover the mask and he could pass as one, other than the fact that he was dead. Lilynette and Starrk had been so proud when he'd removed his mask and with how quickly he had evolved. He knew that was because of Shiro's help. On his back was a sword, not that he knew how to wield it well yet, the others were teaching him and Shiro worked with him when he slept.

He looked down at his hands, trying to guess how old he was. He looked older than Lilynette now but definitely younger than Starrk, but there was a big gap in there. They still lived on the move too, keeping away from others and Ichigo was happy with that. He just knew something bad was in Las Noches. He looked up at the moon, something was coming, he could feel it, something that would change everything.

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In Karakura, a Senkaimon opened and a young woman stepped through, looking around in awe. This was her first trip to the world of the Living by herself. She had been her for training but not this particular area. She'd wanted an assignment like this for a long time and now finally she was here. Her Denreishinki beeped so she pulled it out and checked the alert before taking off.

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Aizen nodded, young Kuchiki had been sent through. He would wait a few days before setting the trap, let her get a little settled into her assignment, send a few normal reports. He still didn't think the twins were as good subjects as their brother, but he was still unable to find the boy's soul. He must have been consumed by a Hollow, Grand Fisher had vanished at the same time which was interesting. The twins were now fifteen, the age he had decided to begin with their brother, old enough to be able to fight but still young enough to be naïve, even with the training their Mother had insisted on.

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Karin knelt beside her unconscious twin. How had the Hollow snuck up on them? And on the worst night possible with their parents away. Yuzu had been knocked out before she could shoot it and Karin's Kido hadn't done much. Hearing it approach she did the only thing she could, she threw herself over her twin in a futile attempt to protect her. She tensed, waiting for the pain but it never came. She heard a roar and lifted her head to see the Hollow retreating, another girl, dressed in black and wielding a sword standing between them and it. "Shinigami," Karin whispered, and the older girl turned, surprise evident at what she had said.

"You can see me?" she asked, eyes scanning for the Hollow, knowing it would return.

"Yeah," Karin admitted. Other than her Dad, she'd never seen a Shinigami. The Visored and Urahara-san tended to be in gigai since they were in exile and hiding. "BEHIND YOU!" Karin yelled and the Shinigami turned, too slowly. She was knocked back, blood flying, before slamming into a telephone poll. Karin scrambled up, looking round for a weapon, anything. She ran to the Shinigami's side since she was there only hope to find she was conscious but obviously not getting up any time soon.

"Do you want…to save your family?" she asked, and Karin nodded. There's just one way You must become a Soul Reaper!"

"What?!" Wouldn't that kill her?

"Run the point of this Zanpakutō through the centre of your being and I will pour my powers into you. I don't know if it will work…but there is nothing else we can do."

"Give me the sword, Shinigami," Karin held her hand out, she was terrified but refusing to show it.

"My name is not Shinigami, I am Kuchiki Rukia."

"I'm Kurosaki Karin," she smiled weakly and took a deep breath before pushing the blade forward into her chest.

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Masaki was horrified. They had returned home to a hole in the house and their daughters unconscious in bed. Isshin had immediately turned to Urahara, who had been waiting in the kitchen for them, and he had told them what he had arrived in time to see. Karin was now truly a Shinigami, even though she was still alive. How could this have happened? She could have lost both her girls last night. She bit back a sob and felt familiar arms wrap around her, turning to bury her head in his chest as he stroked her hair.

"They're alive and safe," Isshin promised.

"Because of a Shinigami," she whispered.

"Urahara…"

"Wouldn't have made it in time and we both know it."

"I'll ask Tessai to put up stronger barriers," was all Isshin could offer.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Ichigo dropped off the dune and slipped into Sonido, coming to a stop and looking to find that yes, it had been a human scream he had heard. The soul of a young man was running from a pack of Hollows and Ichigo didn't even hesitate. He didn't even bother drawing his blade as he went on the attack, a cero taking care of half the group in one shot before he was there and physically tearing the others apart. He then turned to see the human soul staring at him in terror. Ichigo lifted his hands, palms out. "I'm not going to hurt you," he promised. "My name's Ichigo," he introduced himself, just to be polite.

"Sora," the young man responded and Ichigo grinned.

"You need to go back to the Living World, so a Shinigami can send you on to Soul Society."

"Soul Society?" Sora asked warily and Ichigo nodded.

"It's where souls like you go when they pass on. If you linger too long or stay here, you'll end up like the ones I just killed."

"What about you? You aren't like them," Sora eyed the younger male warily, seeing the shard of white tucked up in orange hair. He was dressed in a tattered cloak and loose pants, feet bare. How long had he been here?

Ichigo shrugged. "I was, but now I'm an Arrancar. I don't need to eat souls and even when I did I only ate other Hollows." Arrancar was the term they'd heard whispered a few years ago for those like them who had removed their mask. He and Lilynette had sat down to work out the terms they had heard, apparently they originated with the Shinigami as a way to identify the stages of Hollow evolution. They had worked out they were Vasto Lorde since they didn't hunger for souls anymore and then removing their masks made them Arrancar. Personally, he thought it was overly complicated and that whoever had made the class system must have been bored.

"They were going to eat me?"

"Probably. So, you need to resolve whatever's keeping you attached to the Living World and move on or find Shinigami to send you on."

"My sister…I stayed for Orihime, I was all she had," he admitted.

"I had little sisters, I still miss them," Ichigo moved to sit on the sand near Sora who slowly sat as well.

"Have you seen them since?"

"No, I've never gone back, I was too scared," Ichigo admitted.

"Oh…how do I get back?"

Ichigo smiled. "I can show you the way," he promised, reaching out to open a Garganta to Karakura. "Not sure where you came from, but I only know Karakura Town."

"That's where I lived."

"Small world," Ichigo offered a hand and Sora took it, letting Ichigo take him into the gaping black hole. They ran along a glowing path until Ichigo reached out again, ripping open the blackness to reveal Karakura beneath them. "Stay safe."

"Thank you," Sora told him, meaning it and the younger male smiled at him before looking up.

"Shinigami is on their way; you'll be okay now." With that he closed the Garganta, retreating to the place he now called home.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Feeling a Garganta open nearby, Kisuke headed out, only to find it closed and a plus soul nearby. He approached the young man with a smile. "You should move on young man, this town isn't safe, even for the dead."

Sora turned to look at him. "You can see me? Are you the Shinigami Ichigo said was coming?"

Kisuke froze, "Ichigo?" he demanded shakily, and the young man nodded. "What did he look like?"

Sora quickly described the young man who had saved him and then decided to add in what had happened, watching the odd man the whole time.

"I see…" Kisuke swallowed heavily. The description fit the child he had once watched from afar. To know he had become a Hollow…Grand Fisher must have taken his soul back to Hueco Mundo and then somehow the boy had gotten away but with no way out. "He mentioned sisters; did he tell you their names?"

"No," Sora shook his head. "He said he was too scared to come back to see them."

Kisuke nodded, that was a very human reaction. "Thank you, and I am sorry that you went through such a traumatic experience."

"You knew him, didn't you?" Sora asked as Kisuke shifted his grip on his cane.

"No…I never knew Ichigo." He pressed the handle to Sora's forehead and watched him fade away. He quickly left and headed for the Visored's warehouse.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Shinji frowned as Kisuke practically stumbled through the barriers and into their home. "What's happened?" had something happened to the kids?

"Ichigo," he gasped out, taking deep breaths.

"What?" That definitely got Shinji's attention as Kisuke calmed down.

"I detected a Garganta opening and went to investigate but there was only a Plus there. He had been taken to Hueco Mundo by a Hollow…but was rescued by another. The Hollow's name was Ichigo, from Karakura and he has two sisters. The description also fits."

Shinji stared at him, horrified. All this time…the boy had been turned into a Hollow. "Tell me you can get us to Hueco Mundo."

"And do what? Kill him? Bring him here?" Kisuke demanded.

Shinji hesitated, "Killing him would purify him, set him free. There's no such thing as a good Hollow."

Kisuke looked away. "He saved that soul, brought him back. He remembers his sisters at least."

And purifying him would likely take that from him, leaving him with no memory of his human life. Shinji sighed. "Fine, we wait and see. That's if we can even find him while keeping away from Aizen's notice."

Kisuke nodded. "Three days."

"Are you going to tell them?"

"There's nothing to tell, yet."

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Shinji sighed and wrapped his cloak tighter around his body. He wasn't sure how long they'd been in the never ending desert, but they had yet to see anything matching the description Kisuke had given them.

In the end, they left empty handed, never noticing the three who tracked and watched them from a distance.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

"What do you think they were?" Lilynette asked, curious. Starrk just shrugged, glad they were gone.

"There was something…familiar about them…something Hollow," Ichigo offered after a while and she hummed, thinking.

"Like us?"

Starrk shook his head. "No, the feeling was too weak."

"Maybe…they're our opposites?" Ichigo offered and the conversation topic was soon changed. The strangers were gone so not anything to worry about. Las Noches was as far away as they could get from it and the many Hollows gathered there. It was a peaceful night.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Kisuke walked through the rain and looked down at the crumpled soul form of Karin, blood pooling beneath her body, Yuzu nearby and barely conscious, Quincy cross glowing on its bracelet. Tessai soon appeared and they moved to get the girls back to the shop before calling Isshin to let their parents know what had happened. Rukia had been taken back to Soul Society, putting the Hōgyoku within Aizen's reach. That had not been the plan. He could not send these two girls to Soul Society alone but the only backup possible was their cousin. Two Quincy's and one substitute Shinigami would not be enough, even with Yoruichi leading them.

He could not ask the Visored, they would be recognised too easily, Soul Society would not take their presence well at all. Isshin could not go as he was believed to be dead. But they could not just let Aizen take it, not after a century of keeping it safe from the madman. Maybe if they had found Ichigo…and that made him chuckle at imagining the looks the idea of sending a Hollow in would have gotten him.

Of course, any plans hinged on Kurosaki surviving the restoration of her powers.

_TBC…. _


	4. Chapter 4

_Disclaimer: Not mine._

**Chapter 4**

Uryū watched his cousins train, frowning in concern. "I cannot believe Aunt Masaki is allowing this," he told the shopkeeper beside him. "Invading Soul Society is a suicide mission, and for what? A Shinigami they barely know."

"So cold," Kisuke hid behind his fan and Uryū almost rolled his eyes at the man.

"It's the truth."

"And yet if she hadn't broken the rules your cousins would have been consumed. Is that not enough of a reason to save her?"

"How did that happen? The house was meant to be warded," he glanced at the ex-Shinigami who sighed.

"Somehow, the wards were breached, by a Hollow that should not have had such power," he admitted, adjusting his hat.

"There's something you aren't telling us. If I am to risk my life, my cousins lives…then I suggest you start being honest."

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

"I see," Kisuke glanced at him and then back down at the twins. Yuzu's speed with her bow had increased even further while Karin's Zanpakutō had changed forms slightly since regaining her powers, more elegant, slimmer. It would be interesting to see what powers it held. What could he tell Ishida that would not reveal the truth and yet also ensure his aide? He was still torn over what to do, sending three people would not be enough, especially when two were Quincy's. He did not doubt their skills and they had both trained with and against Shinigami but the numbers they would face in Seireitei were beyond what they could face. "There is a Shinigami, the one who Hollowfied Shinji and the other Visored. I have no doubt he is behind the order for Rukia's execution, he managed out exile well enough a century ago. He is very dangerous, and he has plans for the three worlds that cannot be allowed to come to pass."

"I can understand his moving against you, but why this Rukia?"

"Because I have an artefact he needs for his plans. To destroy it I hid it."

"And this Rukia knows where?"

Well that was close enough, so he nodded. "Should he get to her, he may learn of its location."

"How bad would it be?"

"The end of the worlds as we know them," and for once he wasn't being at all silly, seeing the young man's eyes widen slightly behind his glasses.

"Very well. Three people and a cat will likely not be enough. There is someone else I can ask, whether they come or not will be their choice," Ishida offered before leaving and Kisuke was curious. Who else did he know with spiritual powers? A classmate perhaps?

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Kisuke was surprised and yet also not, when young Sado approached with Uryū. The quiet young man was strong, a good fighter, from what he had heard. It was not actually surprising that he had some sort of spiritual power with how close he was to Uryū and the twins. "You know what you're getting into?" he asked, and the boy nodded. "Very well," he led them to the underground room where the twins were waiting to leave for Soul Society.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Ichigo leant back against the dune, Lilynette curled up against his side, stealing the heat of his body in the cold. Starrk was off scouting since they'd all picked up the increase in activity, something that was unlikely to be good for them. He straightened up, senses straining and then he was up, pulling her with him. Silently they took off across the sand, Starrk would be able to find them, he could always find Lilynette and there were certain places to meet up at if they got separated. It did occasionally happen, usually when he led off a pursuer. He was faster and stronger than Lilynette after all, even if she always yelled at him for it later.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Masaki paced the living room, scared and angry. Her children and 'nephew' were risking their lives all because of Kisuke's crazy plan going wrong. She knew Yoruichi would do her best, but they were going up against a literal army! The odds were against all of them returning alive, let alone unharmed. She had already had to bury one child; she couldn't bury another. She spun to face the door as it opened, admitting Isshin who looked pale and she shook her head. "No…"

"They're alive," he was quick to promise, pulling her into his arms to kiss her softly. "All four of the kids are alive."

"But?"

"Karin was badly injured by Aizen; however, she is being looked over by Unohana herself. Sado was the next badly injured, the other two were exhausted and had lighter injuries. They'll be home next week."

"Aizen hurt Karin?"

Isshin nodded. "He succeeded, he has the Hōgyoku, although Rukia survived the extraction."

"I can't lose my girls," she whispered, wishing for the millionth time that she still had her powers. Nothing could bring them back though Kisuke had tried for several years, for all she knew he was still thinking about new methods. She had given up though, choosing to focus on what she could do, raising their daughters to be good, strong women and supporting Isshin because even after two decades living as a human he still missed things a man his age would be expected to know. She hated being so powerless and unable to do more to help but she'd had almost a decade to adjust to it, now it was even harder. A war was coming and all she could do was support her family.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

"What's going on Starrk?" Lilynette demanded, hands on her hips.

Ichigo watched from a 'safe' distance, her demands for answers could turn violent any second and he didn't feel like getting dragged into it. He felt Starrk glance his way and straightened up, immediately paying full attention. He may not look it, but he was the youngest of their group and he knew he still had a lot to learn, not just about fighting, about unlocking his Resurrección, but about life in Hueco Mundo in general. "Starrk?"

"I'm not entirely sure. There's been a lot of movement between here and the Living World recently."

"Trouble?" Lilynette asked and he shrugged.

"Likely, we need to keep our distance, be careful. This kind of activity may bring Shinigami patrols here," Starrk warned and Ichigo nodded.

He'd never met a Shinigami before, and he was curious but not curious enough to try and find one. He didn't want to have to fight them after all, the work they were doing was important. It wasn't like he knew or liked the lower level Hollows so why would he care if they were purified? A Hollow had killed him, tried to eat him, and had maybe killed his Mom. He'd never met any other Hollows that he liked at all, either they just wanted to fight and eat or wanted to suck up to him for protection. He kind of wished he could meet a Shinigami who wouldn't be looking for a fight, to hear about how the Living World was going.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

"Yuzu!" Karin screamed, fire swirling around as she released an arc of flame. Her Zanpakutō was very similar to their Dad's in abilities. She saw her sister fall, her bow vanishing, and she snarled, fighting to get to her. This was the third attack in five days! They were all tired, even with the team Soul Society had sent to back them up. Shinji and the others were hanging back, making sure not to be seen by the team. It was frustrating but they understood why. "No!" she screamed as Yuzu was picked up and carried through a Garganta.

Tōshirō sent a wave of ice to cut them off but it was too late, they made it safely through. "We'll get her back," the young Captain promised as he landed beside her.

"You can't promise that," Karin whispered. She'd lost her big brother; she couldn't lose her twin too.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Ichigo wandered the sands alone, heading in the direction of their nearest rendezvous spot. Stupid Hollows getting them split up. Starrk was investigating something near the Forest of Menos, somewhere they didn't go, but there had been weird power coming from there. The Hollows that had come after them had obviously been looking for something or someone but that hadn't stopped them targeting the two. They'd split up and he'd been forced to fight, handling his attackers fairly easily.

He was about half way to the meeting spot when he felt a flare of unfamiliar power and then…an Arrancar. He hesitated, curious but also wary and then his shifted direction, drawing his power in as close as possible in order to remain undetected. He crouched at the top of a dune, looking down at the battle. He spotted an Arrancar, powerful, but not overly so. It's opponent made his eyes widen as he took in the black clothing and sword…a Shinigami. What was a Shinigami doing here? He hesitated but then moved closer for a better look. He watched them fight and grimaced as the Shinigami stumbled back. It…she, was obviously wounded, faltering and he didn't know what to do. Should he intervene? He looked her over, she looked young, short black hair….there was something. The Arrancar was tall, taller than him, with long red hair, half of his hair shaved and black on the left side. The only side of his mask seemed to be the eyes holes and he was dressed in the weird white uniform that meant he was from the city.

Ichigo watched her fall and his hand moved to his sword without even thinking about it as he exploded into motion. He got between them, blocking the strike, throwing the other Arrancar off balance, launching a cero at it.

"She's mine!" the other snapped as it got a look at him. "Find your own prey kid or deal with the Fracción of Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez."

"You won't touch her again," Ichigo warned, listening as Shiro whispered to him.

"You would defend a Shinigami?" the other asked in disbelief.

"Yes," was all Ichigo said before going on the attack, moving blindingly fast. The other blocked the majority of his attacks, obviously surprised any landed and then Ichigo sped up further.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

She scrambled back, watching the two fight. She had almost thought it was a Shinigami coming to her rescue, except he was dressed in baggy pants, a worn cloak…bare foot. He had longish orange hair and was tall but shorter than the Arrancar. The way her opponent spoke to him…he was a Hollow?

"Karin!" she heard the yell and looked back to see Uryū rushing across the sand. "Look out!"

She spun back to see the original Arrancar had knocked the newcomer down and was moving towards her, fast, so she quickly brought her Zanpakutō up to block, hearing an arrow fly by her to hit him. It staggered him briefly but then he was on her.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

"Karin! Look out!" a stranger yelled as Ichigo got up and his gaze went to the Shinigami. Karin? It could be…amber met grey as he took in her features. He saw a strange blue arrow stagger the other Arrancar and then she was lifting her blade to block. Karin…he snarled in rage, moving to get between the, protecting her, lashing out over and over, never giving the other an inch, pushing him back and away from her.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

"Karin?" Uryū yanked her back to her feet. "Who is he?"

"I don't know…." But there was something…familiar. How could that be? He was a Hollow….an Arrancar? He wasn't wearing the uniform of one of Aizen's though. That snarl had scared her and yet for some reason he seemed to be defending her. Orange hair…amber eyes…no…it wasn't possible…was it? No, it couldn't be him…but Mom had explained…his soul had never been found… she watched in awe as he killed the Arrancar, her grip on her blade tightening as he turned to them, breathing heavily.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Uryū watched as one Hollow slaughtered another before turning towards them and he readied his bow. He studied the Hollow and frowned as he took in its appearance, it looked human, other than the mask remanent in its hair. It's Hollow hole was obviously hidden by the ragged clothing it wore. Just because it wasn't one of Aizen's didn't mean it wasn't a threat, especially since it was staring at his cousin.

"Karin?" the Hollow whispered, looking confused and yet…hopeful?

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

"Karin?" Ichigo whispered, could it be her? Could this be one of his sisters? But that would mean she was dead. He saw the bow in the other males hands, the way she gripped her sword and he licked his lips nervously. He took a massive risk and put his sword back across his back, seeing their surprise. "I don't want to fight."

"Then what do you want Hollow?" the male demanded.

"Karin," he didn't know how to ask if it was really her.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Karin stared at the Hollow as he put his sword onto his back, staring into wary yet hopeful amber and she swallowed hard. "I.. Ichi-nii?" she choked out, feeling Uryū tense beside her. It couldn't be…could it?

"Karin," the time her name held relief and happiness even as he smiled slightly. "It's really you? How are you here? You're Shinigami? You died?" he was almost babbling out the questions.

Was this really her big brother? Was it possible? But even if he was…he was a Hollow…dangerous. He took a small step forward and she backed off, making him freeze.

"I won't hurt you," he whispered. "I would never hurt you," he sounded hurt and she wanted to believe him, wanted the big brother she barely remembered back.

"You're a Hollow," she shot back, and he nodded.

"An Arrancar," he offered. "I don't eat people, never have. Karin…how long...how long has it been?"

"Nearly ten years."

"You claim to be Ichigo Kurosaki," Uryū spoke and Ichigo's gaze moved to him.

"I'm Ichigo, who are you?"

"This is Uryū Ishida, our cousin."

"Cousin? I don't remember you… I'm sorry."

"We never met before Ichigo's death," it was obvious he didn't believe this was Ichigo, not yet.

"Oh…when did you die? How?" Ichigo's attention moved back to her and she shook her head.

"It's complicated, but I'm not dead."

"Good," he stated firmly, relieved. "Karin…is Mom?"

"Alive, you saved her."

"She's alive?" he whispered; eyes wide.

"Why didn't you come home?' Karin couldn't help asking and he flinched slightly.

"Hollows kill their families…I didn't want to risk it."

Karin stared at him and then slowly she sheathed her Zanpakutō and took a step towards him. She was trusting her gut which screamed this was her brother.

"Karin," Uryū hissed but she motioned him back.

She slowly approached Ichigo who stood as if frozen until she was right in front of him, looking up at his face. She reached up with a hand and he flinched back slightly before holding himself still, letting her hand come to rest against his face. His eyes closed as he leant into her touch, his hand slowly coming up to rest against hers, pressing her hand more firmly to his cheek. "Ichi-nii," she whispered, it was him, it was really him. "Can I hug you?" she asked, and he opened his eyes to look down at her. He smiled shakily and held his arms out, so she stepped in and wrapped hers around his waist, feeling his arms wrap around her in return.

"Karin!"

"Shinji don't!" She yelled without moving away from a suddenly tense Ichigo. She knew Shinji wouldn't risk an attack with her so close. "It's okay, it's Ichigo." She turned her head to look back at him, seeing Sakanade in his hand but his eyes were wide as he took in the scene of them hugging. "It's okay Ichi-nii, this is Shinji, he's a friend."

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Shinji stopped when Karin yelled at him, his mind struggling to make sense of the scene, were they hugging? He took in the orange hair, the ragged clothes…he fit the description Kisuke had received from the plus soul. Hearing her words…was this really the boy they had failed to save so many years ago? He could see the dissipating remains of another Hollow nearby and wondered who had killed it. Karin seemed sure that this was her brother but how much of that boy existed in this Hollow? He met wary amber eyes and slowly sheathed Sakanade, willing to give him a chance since he hadn't attacked. "Hello Ichigo," he offered the teen. He'd grown quite a lot since his death, physically he looked to be almost an adult which was a surprise. Then again, Hollows didn't seem to stay as kids for a long time like Shinigami did.

"Hi," the boy returned, still hugging Karin but then his head turned, and he stared into the distance before releasing Karin. "Company's coming," he warned. To Shinji's surprise, Ichigo pushed Karin behind himself, protecting her. "Hollows…four…powerful," the boy said, obviously focusing.

"We should leave," Uryū said and Shinji nodded, sensing their approach as well now.

"This way," Ichigo offered a hand to Karin who took it, and then he began to run. They quickly moved to follow since he had Karin. In fact he soon scooped her up, increasing his pace and they sped up as well.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Karin wanted to complain when she was picked up, but she didn't, just leaning into his chest as he moved. He was so fast, faster than her, maybe faster than Yoruichi, but he was making sure the others kept up. She felt something and slipped her hand under the cloak, touching his skin, until she felt…oh, it was a hole…his Hollow hole. She felt him glance down but she just settled more comfortably, it hurt, the reminder he wasn't human, but she wouldn't let it bother her. She wanted so badly to trust him; it didn't feel like a trap. Please don't let it be a trap, let this be her brother. Surely having an Arrancar on their side would be a big help with the war?

_TBC.._

_Need a name for Karin's Zanpakutō as well as a release phrase for Ichigo to enter Resurrección so suggestions welcome._


	5. Chapter 5

_Disclaimer: Not mine_

_Thanks for all the suggestions._

**Chapter 5**

Shinji ran alongside the Hollow, seeing how gently he held Karin to his chest. It was obvious he was going slower to let them keep up and he wondered how fast the boy really was. He dropped off a dune and seemed to vanish and they scrambled down after to him to find a very well hidden cave entrance. Shinji glanced at Uryū who nodded and then went inside to find the Hollow gently placing Karin down. She tugged him down and he slowly knelt in front of her, messy orange hair falling forward to hide his face from them but not from her and they remained silent as she reached up to gently cup his face.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Ichigo let her tug him down, eyes closing as her hands rested on his face, leaning into her touch. It felt…strange but good, only Lilynette and Starrk ever touched him without attempting to harm him.

"Ichi-nii," she whispered, and he opened his eyes to look at her.

"Karin," he lifted a hand slowly, amazed when she let him touch her cheek in return. "You're grown up," she was tiny in his memories but now she was so much older.

"I'm fifteen now," she told him.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Karin wanted to ask so many questions, but she didn't know where to start or if she even should. If she ignored the mask remanent in his hair it would be so easy to forget what he was now but…could she just treat him like a human? She didn't want to believe he could ever hurt her or anyone, but he was a Hollow. Could a Hollow be good? "We missed you so much," she whispered.

"I missed you too," he told her softly. "Why did you come here? It's not safe."

"Yuzu was kidnapped by Aizen's Espada, they brought her here. We have to get her back," she explained, watching as his eyes widened, flashing gold.

"Yuzu," a hand balled into a fist and she knew the others were tensing. "Espada?" he looked puzzled at the word. "The one's from the city?" he pointed off in a direction.

"Yeah, those creeps," Shinji spoke up and Ichigo looked at him.

"Why take Yuzu?" he looked very confused. "Why not just eat her in the living World?"

"Most likely as bait," Uryū offered and Ichigo nodded.

"I'll help you," he told them seriously and Karin relaxed a little at his promise.

"Will you come home?" Karin asked and he looked back at her.

"How? No one will see me."

"Yuzu and I can, Dad can now too. Mom sometimes can."

"Karin, if he returns with us the Shinigami will find him, even if he stayed at the shop," Uryū told her firmly. The Shinigami may be able to individually accept him, but they had to follow orders and there was no way the Central command or even Soutaicho would allow him to live.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Shinji saw her flinch, saw amber eyes watching them all but there was no anger, hunger, calculation….anything he expected form a Hollow and he knew Hollows better than almost anyone. He motioned to the boy who hesitated, understandably wary, but he got up and walked over. Shinji sat and patted a spot next to him and was surprised when the kid actually sat next to him, watching him curiously. "I wanna apologise," he admitted.

"For what?"

"Being too late. Kisuke and I were first on the scene after you and your Mom were attacked, we felt the Hollow and came as fast as we could, but it wasn't fast enough."

"You saved Mom though by coming."

"I guess. Though way she tells it, you saved her first. That was a very brave thing you did, getting between her and the Hollow, twice."

"I did?" amber eyes blinked in surprise.

"You don't remember?" Shinji asked curiously and the Hollow…Ichigo shrugged slightly.

"Bits and pieces," he admitted. "I didn't remember anything at first but I'd told Lilynette and Starrk a lot so they helped me try and remember once…once I could uh, think again."

"Pretty wild at first?" Shinji asked and Ichigo nodded slowly. "Know what that's like," he admitted and Ichigo stared at him in confusion, so Shinji ever so slowly and carefully let a little of his inner Hollow leak out and watched amber eyes go wide.

"How?"

"I'm a Visored, do you know what that is?"

Ichigo snorted, "Shinigami label everything."

Shinji laughed, surprised. "Yeah, guess they do. A hundred years ago I was a Shinigami captain." He paused but Ichigo just watched him, so he slowly told him of how they were betrayed, first by his lieutenant and then everyone else.

"So, we're opposites?"

"Yeah."

"Huh," Ichigo laid his head on his knees. "Do you…" he shifted slightly. "Am I a monster?" he asked quietly, and Shinji's eyes widened at the question.

"I think…that a monster wouldn't even consider such a question. You've done what you have to, to survive. You saved Sora from other Hollows and sent him back to the Living World where he was sent peacefully on to Soul Society, I know of no other Hollow who would do that," he offered and yeah, that was a blush. He remembered his earlier words to Kisuke, that there was no such thing as a good Hollow but maybe he'd been wrong. "Do you know much about the city?"

Ichigo shook his head. "Starrk's kept us away from there. I know there's a lot of power gathered there, it used to be ruled by a Hollow called Baraggan."

They all tensed as they felt two signatures approaching but Ichigo stood and stretched. "It's just Starrk and Lilynette," he told them, heading for the entrance to explain to his companions.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Starrk followed Ichigo into the cave, eyes immediately settling on the girl….yes, she was related to Ichigo. He remembered when the boy had been a human soul, the feel of his power and hers bore the similarity of family. And there was another sister, taken by those he had spent so long keeping them away from. He knew Ichigo would go with these strangers to save the sister he hadn't seen in so long. He glanced at Lilynette, feeling how torn she was. She didn't like these people with a claim on their Ichigo, but she also knew how much he missed his family.

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It was a motley group that made its way over the sands towards Las Noches. The three Hollows had been warned they would be meeting up with more Visored plus a human at some point, the group had been scattered shortly after they had arrived. Karin stuck to her brother's side and no one said anything when he gently brushed against her arm every so often, as if reassuring himself she was really there. Ichigo's companions weren't what they had expected, Starrk was possibly the laziest being they had ever met, but that didn't mean he was anything approaching weak, while the girl was fiery. It was obvious that they both cared about Ichigo and were worried. It seemed these three were making them all rethink their ideas about Hollows.

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Ichigo burst into the room, blade sinking deep into the Hollow within, a blast of power channelled through it, killing the Hollow. He looked around to see a young girl watching him with wide eyes and he let his sword rest on his back, moving slowly towards her. "Yuzu," he called.

"Who are you?" She kept her back to the wall, calling up her bow and he stared at it, he'd seen what that weapon could do and didn't want to get hit.

Ichigo knelt down to help with the foot difference in their height. "It's me Yuzu, Ichigo," he told her, and she backed further away, arrow forming.

"My big brother is dead," she snapped, and he could see the slight tremble in her arm.

"I am Dead," he agreed. "Karin and your friends are here too," he wasn't sure what to say to her and he knew they needed to move. He focused on his shaky human memories and then grinned when he saw the red clip in her hair. "Mom and Dad took us to a fair and Dad won that clip in a game. He gave it to you and Mom did you hair with it," he was pretty sure that was very close to when he had died, had she been old enough to remember?

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Yuzu's hand went to the hair clip she always wore. She'd bonded with Inoue over that, though Ichigo hadn't given it to her, she had gotten it only a few days before he died. She stared into amber eyes, taking in the messy orange hair and tattered clothes. "Ichi-nii?" and then she threw herself into his arms, bow dissipating and she felt his arms wrap gently around her. He simply stood up with her in his arms and left the room and she held on tight.

"I won't let anyone hurt you," he promised softly, and she had so many questions, but she understood that now definitely wasn't the time. they soon met up with Rose who nodded at her, smiling slightly, and she relaxed further at the evidence that others believed this was her big brother. Had been here the whole time? She didn't say anything about being carried, knowing they were moving rather quickly. She just wanted to go home and have a shower plus hot food.

_TBC…._


	6. Chapter 6

_Disclaimer: Not mine_

**Chapter 6**

Shinji watched as Starrk took out half of the Hollows after them without seeming to make an effort even as Hachi's Kidō dealt with several more. It would take another minute or two for Kisuke and Tessai to get the Gargantua open on their end and he had a choice to make. The three Arrancar were good, very good, not to mention powerful If Aizen got to them they could cause a lot of trouble. He didn't believe they would willing serve the traitor, but he had ways of getting around that unwillingness. Which meant either they killed them or took them with them to the shop and then the warehouse. There were too many Shinigami coming and going from Kisuke's to hide the three, if they did this then they would have to hide them. He saw it opening and began waving people through and then glanced back at the Arrancar. "Come on!" he called, and the girl turned to him in shock. "You can stay with us."

"You're kidding!" She yelled and he quickly cut down an approaching Hollow.

"Ya wanna stay here?" He demanded.

Ichigo turned and stared at him even as he fired off a massive Cero. Shinji nodded at the kid, maybe it was crazy, but they had done nothing but help them. it'd kill Isshin and Masaki to see this but what other option was there? Ichigo nodded and turned to Starrk. "He won't stab us in the back," he called, and Shinji was amazed by the trust the kid was putting into him.

Shinji leapt through, the three right behind him. he nearly swore when he came out to see the twins in their parents arms. He looked to Kisuke and grimaced. "They're friendly," he warned right as the three Arrancar came through, Starrk pulling Lilynette partially behind him.

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Kisuke watched as the rescue group began appearing, smiling slightly as the twins fell into their parents arms. The group was surprisingly uninjured considering the mission.

Then Shinji came through, breathing heavily. "They're friendly," he warned and then three strangers dropped from the Gargantua.

Kisuke spotted the mask fragment in orange hair as the older looking one….Hollow, pushed the small, childlike, girl behind himself, but Kisuke couldn't look away from orange hair. He knew that hair colour and his heart sank at the confirmation of what the plus soul had told him.

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"Ichi-nii!" Karin called.

Isshin's head snapped around, eyes widening as he took in the young man standing back with the other two. Long orange hair, amber eyes…. Was it possible? He was dressed in a ragged cloak and pants, his feet bare, a massive blade across his back… and a mask fragment lodged in his hair. He glanced at Masaki to find her looking around wildly, unable to see the three. The Hollow looked to be in his late teens physically, the age their son would be if alive. He found the Hollow staring at him in return.

"Dad?" it called hesitantly.

No…not this… not their son. He felt Masaki take his hand even as Karin slipped away and over to the Hollow, taking its hand with a smile.

"Isshin? What's going on?" His wife demanded, obviously able to tell Karin was holding someone's hand.

"It's Ichi-nii, Mom," Yuzu answered, and Masaki gasped.

"Ichigo?" she called, looking to where Karin stood.

Isshin looked at Shinji who shrugged and moved over.

"He saved Karin's life and was the one to break Yuzu out," the Visored quietly. "All three of them helped us get her and get out. They aren't aligned with Aizen."

"Mom? Dad?" The Hollow…Arrancar called and Isshin looked at it again, it was holding Karin's hand gently and…the expression on its face was nothing like any Hollow he had ever seen. There was fear, sadness, longing….and hope? Was it possible that something of their child had survived the transformation? He had already carried the Hollow that Masaki had been infected with, had that protected him from losing his heart?

He made sure Masaki had an arm around Yuzu before stepping forward. "Ichigo?" He watched Karin tug his hand to get his attention before she smiled and pushed him forward gently.

He licked his lips, nervous, but he stepped forward, closer to Isshin. "Dad," he said again, looking lost and Isshin swallowed, he knew that look. "I… I'm sorry."

"For what?" he asked and Ichigo looked away, hair falling over his face. "Ichigo?" He took another step closer and Ichigo looked up at him. He shrugged slightly, absently fingering the mask fragment and it hit Isshin why he had apologised. Isshin slowly closed the distance between them and reached out, seeing Ichigo freeze rather than pull away or try to fight. He touched his cheek, feeling him shiver under his touch. "You remember us?"

Ichigo nodded. "You're my Dad, Kurosaki Isshin. Mom…she can't see me, can she?" he looked over at where Masaki stood with Yuzu.

"Not at the moment," he confirmed.

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Kisuke stayed quiet as they shut the equipment down, listening as Isshin and his Arrancar son spoke. It was painful to hear as centuries of prejudice and knowledge wared with parental instinct. He wasn't sure which was the right one to follow. He fit the description, Ichigo had been the one to save Sora. It was possible this was one of Aizen's plans though it seemed haphazard for his work, there was no guarantee one of their group would find Sora and then listen before performing Konsō. There was still a chance though and that made him wary.

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"It's really you?" Isshin asked, staring into amber eyes.

"It's me Dad. I'm sorry, I didn't want you to know."

"Why?" he demanded, why hadn't Ichigo wanted them to know he was still 'alive'?

"Cause of what I am," he admitted, shame obvious in his voice. "I…I wanted so bad to come home."

And if he had…he knew what he would have done and the idea of his sons blood on his hands… "You're here now."

Ichigo nodded. "He was going to hurt Karin, I didn't know it was her till the guy with glasses…Ishida, called her name."

"He protected me even before he knew it was me, Dad," Karin butted in and he understood why, she wanted him to know Ichigo had moved to protect a stranger and a Shinigami at that.

"Isshin?" Masaki called and he looked back to his wife. "Is it really him?" she demanded.

He looked back at Ichigo who looked between them.

"He knew how I got my hair clip," Yuzu chimed in, tugging at her Mother. "He killed the Hollow that was guarding me and got me out."

Isshin turned back to the Hollow… to Ichigo. How else would he know that story? He stared at his son, guilt weighing heavily and then he stepped closer slowly and raised his arms. Ichigo stepped into him, his arms wrapping around Isshin, his head resting against his shoulder. "You're home now," he whispered. They would find some way to deal with this, with his being a Hollow.

"Ichigo," Masaki called, holding out her hand and Ichigo pulled away to reach out slowly for her hand, his fingers interlacing with hers and she smiled through tears.

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She hated this, unable to see everyone, only hearing half of the conversations. Why were they so hesitant over his identity? It was a relief to see Isshin hug thin air, obviously hugging their son and she felt the tears break free even as she called to him and then she felt it, fingers locking with hers and she smiled. "My baby boy," she whispered, reaching up a hand, trying to judge where his face was. It took a little and then she felt him leaning into her touch. "You better have a spare gigai Urahara."

"While I do, I will need to work on special ones for our newcomers."

"Why?" she demanded.

"Masaki, Ichigo has been living in Hueco Mundo for a decade," Isshin spoke up and she glared at him, so what? "A human soul cannot last that long, they either move on to Soul Society, get eaten or…"

Or… no, no way, not her baby. She ran her fingers over his face, there was no mask, the fingers locked with hers were human. She blinked as glasses settled on her face, glancing over her shoulder to see a grim Urahara and then she looked back, eyes widening as she stared at the young man standing in front of her.

"Experimental glasses to help you with seeing the Spiritual World." He explained and she felt Ichigo stiffen.

"Thank you," she told him, unable to look away from her son. His hair was a lot longer than she would have expected, then again she doubted there were any barbers in Hueco Mundo. Then she saw it, sitting innocently in his hair, the cold white of a Hollow's mask, but not a full one, just a fragment. She saw how tense he was, the fear in amber eyes and she realised what they had been trying to tell her. He was an Arrancar, like the ones that had taken Yuzu. But he wasn't wearing the white uniform, he was dressed basically in rags and she glanced across the room to see a man and girl, dressed the same. "Do I get a hug?" she asked him gently and he stared at her in confusion, so she stepped closer, hugging him, and he stiffened before melting into her.

"Mom?" he whispered, and she laughed.

"I can see and hear you," she answered, running her fingers through his hair. "My wonderful grown up son."

"You don't hate me?" he asked.

"Never," she swore, moving back to cup his face in her hands.

"I've never hurt a living soul," he promised shakily.

"We can vouch for that," The man spoke up quietly. "We stayed with him during his transformation to keep him safe and ensure he didn't do something he would regret."

"Starrk and Lilynette looked after me, they found me after the Hollow took me there to eat me. Even when I was a mindless monster, they protected me, taught me, helped me remember who I was. They helped push me to evolve until I broke my mask," Ichigo explained and she looked back over at them.

"Thank you," she smiled at them.

"We really should get a move on, before any Shinigami decide to drop in," Shinji warned.

"I assume you will be working on those gigai?" Masaki asked sweetly and Urahara gulped slightly but nodded and she hid a smirk, powerless or not, she still had it.

"Of course," he agreed.

"You need to go home, when Hitsugaya checks in, your family must be at home."

Masaki desperately wanted to argue but she knew Urahara was right if Soul Society learnt what Ichigo had become they would try to kill him. They wouldn't see their long lost son but a monster, it was Shinji and the others hid after all. "We'll come see you as soon as we can," she promised. "Shinji and the other will take you to where they live and keep you safe."

"We'll keep them safe," Shinji agreed. "We've got a setup like this under our warehouse, so we have plenty of room."

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Ichigo looked over at Shinji and nodded, he would trust the blonde to keep them safe. He looked over at Starrk and he nodded, accepting his judgement. "Okay," Ichigo gave the verbal agreement but he didn't move away from his Mom. He didn't remember everything that had happened when he died, but he remembered her screaming his name.

"We'll see you soon," his Mom promised, leaning up and shocking him by kissing his cheek. "I'm so glad you're okay."

"I missed you so much Mom," he whispered, and she smiled at him.

"Okay kids, follow us," Shinji grinned and headed up a ladder.

Ichigo went to follow only to be stopped by the girls slamming into him, hugging him tight. "We'll see you soon," they promised in unison. He hugged them back and then headed up. They stepped out of a building and he stared around, it had been so long.

"Okay?" Shinji asked and Ichigo nodded.

"Forgot how noisy and bright everything is," he admitted before looking at Lilynette and Starrk, they'd never been to the Living World before. he shifted closer, his arm brushing hers and she bristled slightly but then pressed back against him.

"This way," Shinji indicated, and they quickly followed, the group surrounding them to act as a buffer and protection.

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Ichigo stretched out, staring at the fake sky above him, Lilynette curled in between him and Starrk, both of them asleep. He'd tried sleeping but it just wasn't happening, his emotions all over the place. His family didn't hate him, he'd never dreamed of that if they ever met again. He had always thought there'd be screaming and angry words, not tears and happiness. They'd been given access to hot showers and clean clothing as well as mats and blankets to sleep on, better than anything they had managed in the ever shifting sands.

Shinji had explained what a gigai was, a fake body like the one he was using. It would let them interact with the living world as if they were alive. They were made for Shinigami which was why the guy in the weird hat needed to work on new ones. Even with those, could he really go home? Surely if Karin worked with Shinigami, they would know he was dead? If he just showed up alive, how long would it take until they worked out the truth?

He'd heard enough from the various people around to work out there was some sort of war coming and the bad guy was based in the white city. Which meant they couldn't go back until it was done, and he was beaten. Once that happened it'd be safer for everyone if they left, maybe they could arrange visits or something? If his family wanted. It would be safer if they just moved on and forgot him though. He could 'live' for centuries or longer, they wouldn't, they should just live their lives here, it would be easier on them all. Something told him they wouldn't agree with that though.

_TBC…_


End file.
